Found
by Little Miss Allie
Summary: Our favourite NCIS agents pick up a new member of the team, at a crime scene? Drama pursues, love develops and friendships occur but most importantly questions are answered. Tiva, McAbby and a little Jibbs.
1. Found

Okay, this is "Found". Obviously I don't own the characters or any of NCIS apart from Lily she's mine from my very own imagination, everything else belongs to DP Belissario.

* * *

Gibbs stood alone in the cosy space of his living room. One worn picture in his hand, a young girl stood grinning clutching at her mother's hand.

"Happy Birthday Sweetheart" He whispered placing a kiss from his fingertips to the small child.

* * *

In the squad room Ziva stood leant over a depressed Tony DiNozzo's desk.

"Tony, you're not fine. Look at yourself, you look like you've seen a toast" she tried to coax some kind of emotion or banter or anything out of her solemn partner.

"Seen a ghost Ziva, seen a ghost." Tony looked up from the screen that he had previously been staring intently at to meet Ziva's eyes. His words were trying to convince her he was fine but his hazel orbs betrayed him.

"Why won't you talk to me Tony? I thought we were partners" She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We are. I don't know... It's just" The senior field agent was stopped mid-sentence by the sound of the swooshing elevator doors. He and Ziva turned around to see Timothy McGee walking through those moment ruining doors backpack slouched over one shoulder.

As Ziva walked back to her desk she muttered something under breath like "Perfect timing McGee"

But the probie agent didn't seem to notice as he walked into the office with a slight bounce in his step. "Morning guys"

"You seem perky today probalicious, is there some new elflord game we need to know about?" Tony asked trying to be his former self for his and the rest of the teams benefit.

"No there is not Tony, we have a case we're going to Georgetown, a shooting was called at 0800 this morning" Gibbs called almost jogging down the stairs from the directors office

As the team pulled up outside the house they were told contained the dead body of a young woman they saw a girl, who looked around 15 years old with long wavy brown hair and saddened brown eyes.

* * *

"D'you think that's her boss?" Tony questioned Gibbs

"You think Tony? There isn't anyone else here" Gibbs shot an order at Tony's question, but Tony took it courteously.

"On my way boss" He strolled up to the youth, with the rest of the team behind him as he got closer he saw there were lines of salty deposits streaked across her face, she'd been crying. "Hi" he waved cautiously in her direction, she looked up her brown eyes analysing his actions "I'm agent Anthony DiNozzo; I'm here with NCIS that stands for..."

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service, I know I called you guys." She said obviously displeased with his slightly patronising attempt at telling who he was, Gibbs slapped him on the back of the head.

"So that means you must be ..." Gibbs paused trying to decipher whoever's handwriting had scribbled the note before him "Lily?"

"That's me"

"How old are you Lily?" Tony asked worried about the age of the girl sat before him, she shouldn't have had to witness a murder he thought.

"15. Now shouldn't you guys be worrying about the shooting I heard and the dead body in that building" She pointed towards a house on the other side of the road "... and on the fact you've got an eye witness who can identify your body and give you a pretty darn good picture of the shooter, rather than 20 questions?"

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Tony asked ignoring Lily's glaring eyes

"DiNozzo shut up for a moment would you?" Gibbs said slapping the back of the agents head.

"Shutting up boss" Lily let out a light chuckle through the tears that were now freely flowing down her face.

Gibbs voice softened as he questioned the girl "Who's the victim?"

Lily's voice took on a tone of clinical detachment as she spoke about the woman who lay dead in the house mere yards away "Jane Stroud, she's a 34 year old Caucasian female, lives here in DC works for the FBI as a receptionist."

Gibbs noted the name and details down then continued with his orders "David bag and tag, McGee phone ducky find out where the hell they are then photograph, Tony seen as thought you've built up such a rapport, why don't you question Lily."

"Yes Boss!" They all answered simultaneously. Ziva, Gibbs and McGee walked off towards the house that Lily had pointed at, leaving Tony and Lily alone once more.

* * *

"To answer your question. I don't need to be in school right now they think I'm on holiday, I didn't want them to worry." Lily said quiet and remorseful.

"Why would they worry?"

"I'm not usually the kind of kid that bunks off if you catch my drift" It appeared she found this whole part of the conversation important at all.

"'kay then Lily can you tell me what you saw?"

"I didn't really see anything; it was more what I heard first."

* * *

Okay so that was just the beginning, so please review if you want me to post some more.

IMPORTANT: I have no knowledge of Washington DC and if my spelling seems off it's probably because I'm English as I have spell checked 3 times


	2. Any Clearer?

* * *

Thanks to S'Dot Yam for the love, we should totally party. Once again I own very little in the way of this story (Apart from Lily hands off her she's mine!)

* * *

The team walked into the house which was eerily unfurnished the plain magnolia walls only helping to highlight the crimson puddle that surrounded a female in her forties. Her hair was wavy like Lily's but a much lighter shade and in her former life her eyes would have been a bright crystal blue.

"Looks like a clean through and through boss" McGee piped up breaking the silence photographing a bullet that was lodged in the wall.

"I've got some prints here boss" Ziva called mere moments after McGee broke the peace.

Gibbs lined himself up against the bullet on the other side of the room as if he were the shooter "Look for some gun residue here" He pointed towards where he was standing obviously hinting at Ziva to come over immediately

* * *

"I was walking and I heard yelling and then screaming" Lily winced at this her eyes welling up with tears once more "I walked up closed to the house and then it was silent. I thought something must have happened you don't just stop arguing like that mid-flow unless... unless something happens and then I saw him"

"Who? Did you know him? Lily this is really important"

"No. I didn't know him. He was around 6.1 or 6.2, lightish hair, marine hair cut, typical "marine off duty clothes"; he had a good tan on him so I'd say he'd been on tour somewhere like Iraq or Afghanistan if we're assuming he's a marine, because I am. He was carrying a K857 with a silencer and he was speckled in splashes of blood. I could sketch him if you wanted me to" She looked up a Tony again this time with desperation in her eyes "I would have given chase, but he had a gun and there was someone hurt and there's only so fast my legs will carry me and what would I have done if I had caught up with him? And, and" Lily became more frantic as she wept.

"It's alright, you couldn't have done anymore you did exactly the right thing calling us." She continued to sob "C'mere" He wrapped his arms around holding her to his chest, as she shook violently within his embrace.

At that exact moment Ziva looked outside, this was the side of Tony she loved. He was being genuinely concerned and caring, and she was glad he had stopped thinking about Jeanne. Ziva knew it was a bad thing to be happy that Lily was obviously distraught but if it was taking Tony's mind off things...

"David! Quit gawking and start working" Gibbs yelled

"Yes Gibbs"

* * *

"Can you remember anything else?" Tony questioned as her cries slowed down. Lily nodded silently.

"I went to go and see if whoever had been shot was alright, if they were still... alive. But she wasn't she was just lying there and it was all my fault"

The senior field agent tried to reassure a now hysteric Lily "Don't think like that, this is not your fault"

She shook off his arms "But I should have tried harder, I should have made them listen, I should have found her"

"I'm really confused now Lily, can you repeat that putting in all of the details, please" Tony crouched down so he was at her eye level.

"Holy mackerel, how stupid can I be?" She wept a little harder now if that was even possible "My Mum has been missing now for 3 weeks, I tried to tell the FBI or even just the regular police, that she had gone but they wouldn't listen. He kept repeating over and over again "I'm sorry but I can't report her as a missing person unless she is under sixteen or in an extreme circumstance" it was an extreme circumstance. How could they just leave her like that she worked for them, don't they care at all?"

Tony interrupted her before she could get anymore worked up "Lily, listen to me take a deep breath and try and explain to me how this is relevant, I know this must be hard for you but when you speak that quickly without putting in the key nouns ... my brain just can't compute" He gave her a nod and a smile and allowed her to continue

She took a deep breath "Does this make it any clearer? My name is Lily Stroud. The woman the rest of your team are investigating the murder of is my mother" White hot tears streaked down her face.

It took a few moments for the information to register in Tony's brain "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry" He wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Lily forced a small smile from her lips as she pushed his arms off her once more.

"What is it with you and trying to hug me huh?" She tried to lighten the mood "There's more, I'll attempt to speak clearly, but you have to pay attention. Okay? " Tony just gave a weak smile in response "After my mother disappeared i knew something was wrong. As I've said before I phoned every agency I could think of, I even phoned NCIS obviously it was a long shot as she's not, wasn't navy personnel. Nobody was prepared to help so I commenced investigation thunderbird; you know thunderbirds to the rescue and all. Sorry off topic, I found this address and that was why I was here, you know the rest of the story"

"Sounds like you should have my job" He gave her his best "DiNozzo" smile, only then did he realise that it was raining and Lily was shaking. Ever the gentleman he took off his NCIS fleece and wrapped it around her delicate shoulders. "See you even look the part, better than McGee"

"Thanks did you. Hold the phone, did you just say McGee?"

Please Please Please review.

IMPORTANT: I know nothing about guns so I made the type up, don't shoot me


	3. Did You Just Say McGee?

Okay This is obviously Chapter 3, sorry it took so long. Thanks to my reviewers, all 2 of you!

"Thanks did you. Hold the phone, did you just say McGee?"

At that moment the rest of the team vacated the building accompanied by Ducky and Palmer who had already arrived and ruled that all that Lily had said was true and that Jane Stroud had died from a single fatal gunshot wound to the heart.

"Yeah, why? Don't tell me you play on one of those elflord games with him" Tony gave her a look of shock

"Ha! I may be geeky but WoW player I am not. Is his first name Timothy by any chance?" She asked intrigued and amused

"Yes, that's really creepy you know?" He raised one eyebrow, and then he noticed she was crying again. McGee walked past them and to the van until he was stopped by Tony "What did you do to her Probie?"

"Nothing" Lily walked closer to the pair "How didn't I notice before? I'm getting really slow these days. Good morning Mr. Gemcity" McGee did a double take "I can't believe, this is how I meet the bestselling author of Deep Six and all of the characters and i don't have a camera and I can't even enjoy it, I'm a big fan" A huge grin broke out across Mr Gemcity's face "However I must say the whole anagram name thing is a little unimaginative."

Tony let out the roll of uncontrollable laughter he's been holding in "Probie, this girl is amazing"

Even Ziva couldn't help but smile "That was almost as fast as your sister"

"Can we just get back to HQ or are you ladies just going to roll around on the floor some more?" Gibbs questioned getting into the truck.

"Can I come?" Lily asked tentatively as the team piled into the truck "I mean, can't face going home right now and there's nowhere else and you'll probably need me again later."

As if on cue everyone turned to the head honcho; Gibbs. "Tony, do you believe Lily poses a threat to our investigation?"

"Definitely not Boss, if anything she'll be a help plus I'm going to need my jacket back, can you believe they make us pay for those things?"

"Welcome on board, then" Gibbs smiled, Ziva scooted over as McGee obligingly took his place in the back. The engine roared into life and they were on their way.

"So, how did you discover McGee's dirty little secret?" Tony grinned like a Cheshire cat at Lily.

"I can hear you, you know!" The man question called his voice wobbling as the van moved.

"Ignore him, how did you work it out?"

Lily was hesitant "Are you sure?" She just earned a nod "Fine, the stories were all so real as were the emotions plus no average character is called Pimmy Jalmer, so I did a little digging. The rest is history."

"You did some digging?" Gibbs asked clearly now interested

"Yeah, there's this little thing called the national census, you know comes round every 2 years you fill in half a tree's worth of questions then send it back. What you probably didn't know is it's one of the least secure national databases ever. A monkey could hack into it. Anyways I searched the site using a number of parameters; male, works for NCIS, in a MIRT, under 50 years old then I tried out a combination of names they were anagrams of Thom E Gemcity because you'd never use your real name if you writing a book about real murders especially if you work for an investigative agency"

"Told you, you should have my job" Tony said in slight awe

"And you're only 15?" Gibbs questioned as they pulled up outside of HQ, Lily gave him a simple clear nod "Not bad, maybe you should have DiNozzo's job"

Sorry it was a little fluffy but it's the end of term and I'm a lil tired, it gets better I promise

IMPORTANT: I don't know about your national census I had to use info from mine (even though it comes around every 10years not 2, artistic license)


	4. A Friend for Abby

Chapter 4. Obviously once again I own nothing but Lily. Have fun...

The team, accompanied by Lily entered Abby's forensics lair.

"Hey Gibbs! I see you come bearing gifts" the bubbly Goth gestured towards the bags of evidence the team held "Who's this?" Abby saw Lily admiring her Masspectrometer.

"Abby this is Lily, Lily this is our forensic scientist Abby, be nice"

Fake shock was plastered all over Abby's face "When am I not nice?"

Tony decided to answer this one "Do you remember Chip?"

"Hey that's an unfair judgement he was..."

"Who's Chip?" Lily finally spoke her voice raspy from all the crying she'd been doing and quiet due to nerves

"It's a marathon story" Ziva replied, Tony just rolled his eyes.

Tony felt the need to correct his partner "Long Ziva, Long not marathon"

Ziva was now confused "But a marathon is long yes?"

"It's not the same Zee-vah" Amidst the confusion over an idiodim Lily have begun to examine Abby's masspectrometer

"Put your hands in the air and step away from the machine" Abby warned her striding over to protect her baby.

Lily did as she was told, the rest of the team just looked on worriedly they knew how protective Abby was of her equipment"Sorry, it's the C3180 isn't it?"

Abby raised an eyebrow, cowboy style "Yes, what about it?"

"Nothing, it's just I've been trying to convince my school to get one for ages but I suppose 20,000 plus is a lil too much for a school budget. This is the first time I've seen one in the flesh"

"How did you know what model she was? Most high school kids have even heard of a masspectrometer"

"I skipped a couple of grades"

The forensic scientist gave the teen a satisfied smile, and stepped away from her mass spec. to allow her a view "Beautiful aint she?"

"What?! Since when does Abby let strangers touch her equipment?" Tony whispered in Ziva's ear earning him a firm slap on the back of his head from his ever peaceful boss.

"Thank you Boss" Tony said as he winced.

Abby held out her hands like an expectant child "So what have you got for me?"

"1 Bullet, 1 set of partial print, 1 footprint, and some gun residue" McGee handed Abby the items on his list as he said them.

"Why thank you McGee"

A different song came on Abby's playlist, Lily automatically knew it "You like Blood Metal?" Everyone turned around to look at her, nobody expected her to like Abby's music "What?"

"Yeah, I love their new album" Abby exclaimed suddenly enthused by Lily's knowledge of Metal bands.

"I'm not normally a big fan of this kind of music, the only reason I know about them is because my friend Robert made me listen to them, the only metal music I like really is Brain Matter"

"Gosh! I love them, my friend plays bass"

"Now, that's a claim to fame!"

Gibbs cut in before they had a chance to start gossiping he knew exactly what Abby was like once she started – she was like the juganought- she couldn't stop. "Abs, keep an eye on this one for me" He placed a hand on Lily's shoulder "Have fun, but not too much fun, don't let her touch AFIS or Interpol Abby. McGee, DiNozzo, David with me." He commanded

"Yes Boss" came the chorus.

As they left Lily started talking again "So do they do that every time he says something?"

"Pretty much. I'm more interested in why you're not allowed to touch AFIS _and_ Interpol, not that you would be anyways" Abby asked intrigued

"Well..."

* * *

The team entered the cool confines of the morgue.

As they neared the table they heard Ducky's British accent "Hello Jethro"

"Got anything for me Duck?"

Ducky let a small sigh escape his lips "Nothing good I'm afraid, it seems our dear Jane was shot by a single shot almost undoubtly taken by a professional"

"Thanks Ducky, DiNozzo you and David check Miss Stroud's house McGee run everything you can find on her and take Lily up to the Bull pen and do not let her out of your sight. It seems we're dealing with someone who knows what they are doing"

The junior agents all left to complete their selected tasks

"I know this must be hard for you Jethro. All of this, on her birthday"

"I'm fine"

Tony and McGee –Ziva had gone to set up the Truck- enter Abby's Lab this time to the sound of raucous laughter.

"Sorry to break this up, but McGeek is under strict instructions from the Boss not to let you out of his sight"

"I can speak for myself Tony" Tim said ever so slightly peeved off.

"Sorry McGrump" Rolled his eyes at Lily as she walked up to the pair

"Where we going then?" Lily smiled then gave her new friend a wave

They got in the elevator and Tony put on his best Yoda voice "Yes I am, coming with me you are not young one. To your house going I am, find anything sinister I will? Hmmmmmm"

"I am sorry master Yoda you will not however you may want to look" Lily took the sheet of directions that were in Tony's hand and turned it over and grabbing the sharpie out of her pocket started scribbling "here, it's got all of my notes on. That laptop is Mums and she keeps all of the interesting stuff here. May the force be with you master"

"The force with you may be too young..." Tony was stopped by the slap on the back of the head he received from his Boss as the doors opened at the Bull pen.

Gibbs boomed "I thought I told you to go and investigate Miss Stroud's house" there was no way he was wasting another minute with this girl in danger.

"On my way Boss"

5 minutes later and McGee was still tapping furiously at his key board, Lily was sat bored at Tony's desk as Gibbs was reading over Tony's noted for the 50th time.

"How long does it take to get a profile report McGee?" A very frustrated Gibbs asked.

"Sorry boss it's just I keep getting blocked"

Lily could see that Gibbs was past the point of annoyed now so tried to diffuse the situation and give herself something to do. "Does anyone know what Tony's favourite movie is?"

McGee turned around "James Bond I think why?"

* * *

Thank you for reading, all comments are appreciated. Until next time I bid you farewell


	5. We Have a Problem

I know it's taken a while but here's chapter 5. As ever you know what I do and do not own.

* * *

"Sorry boss it's just I keep getting blocked"

Lily could see that Gibbs was past the point of annoyed now so tried to diffuse the situation and give herself something to do. "Does anyone know what Tony's favourite movie is?"

McGee turned around "James Bond I think why?"

"Ce n'est pas important" But still Lily started typing

"Parlez-vous Français?" Gibbs was once again intrigued by the girl in front of him

"Oui, je parle Français, espangnol, et italien"

Gibbs looked impressed, McGee just tried to work faster he knew Lily was trying to buy him time "Tres Bien"

"Merci!"

"De rien"

"Dang it! Boss they've just frozen my computer."

* * *

Tony saw they glint of affection Ziva's eye but he didn't want her to worry about him "I'm fine Zee-vah"

"Okay, but if you ever want to talk I'm here, as long as it's not how do you Americans say it complicated" Tony chuckled they'd had this discussion before.

"Thanks Ziva, I think we've got everything we better head back the Boss'll be wondering where we are"

* * *

Lily carried on typing, her fingers moving over the keys fluidly. "Gibbs, if I could get you that file would you care if how I got it could be deemed as illegal?"

A smile grew across Gibb's shock covered face "You can get me that file?"

"Think so" Her face was deep in thought

"Hey, now I couldn't do I got blocked. You can't do it."

"Can't isn't in the dictionary" Gibbs grin got even wider; she was good "Would you like to put your money where your mouth is Gemcity?"

"Ooooh what cha betting McGee. Hey why are you on my computer?!" DiNozzo walked in, Ziva was on his 6.

"McGee doesn't believe that I can get a file that he can't and number two you really need to change you passwords, the Bond theme isn't that hard to crack"

"Thanks for that, I suppose. How did you work it out if you don't mind me asking"

"Now human being that slips so easily into a yoda impression that is that good isn't a movie buff, so I just asked McGee what your avourite film was"

"Ten bucks says she gets it."

Timothy McGee have out an annoyed sigh "Fine. Don't blame me if she freezes your computer"

"You don't have to worry Tony – as long as you split McGee's ten with me" She said with a grin as she started tapping on the keyboard once more, "Ha, I thought you went to MIT, Mr Gemcity" Her grin grew even bigger as her key strokes slowed down "Bada-bing-bada-bong and there we have it, read it and weep"

Tony leant around his desk craning his neck to see the screen "Wow, you're better than I thought, pay up McDumb" He held out his palm with pride.

"Fine" McGee let out another sigh

Ziva joined in, she too was now interested in Lily's computer skills. Nobody, apart from Abby, had ever beaten McGee "How did you do that?"

Lily gave McGee a smug smile as he handed the money over to Tony "It was easy really. McGee wasn't being blocked it was just NCIS doesn't get a full picture of everything when you guys search so I logged in as someone who I knew would have full file viewing rights, one Tobias Furnell"

"Hold up, are you telling me you just search every single database under the guise of being the head of the FBI" McGee didn't feel quite as bitter now, he'd never think of doing something as illegal as that.

"Yes I am, it's easy when you know the password. I used to deliver his papers, then I baby sat his daughter so I had an idea of what it would be. Sorry I should let you guys get to work. By the way my list of names has everyone my Mum has spoken to in the last couple of months in chronological order, I starred anyone I thought was of interest. Oh yeah and the one guy has a question mark on him because my Mum was dating him but then he kind of disappeared she didn't hear or see him for weeks"

Tony scanned down the document looking for the question marked name. Suddenly he dropped the piece of note paper "Boss we have a problem..."

McGee stopped scrolling down the screen he was looking at as well as well "We have really big problem..."

Moments passed and Gibbs was getting impatient "What are you waiting for a drum roll? Christmas?"

"The guy with the question mark is Renee Benoit" The senior field agent stated coldly

Tim was quick to blurt his fact out straight after Tony "Jane Stroud was under Homeland security protection"

Gibbs was quick to stand up and grab his gear "It seems we're paying our good friend Fornell a visit, with me." He was quick to add "Lily you stay with Abby, be good"


	6. I Hate it When He Does That!

I know I've been away for ages but I kinda gave up because no one was reading so I'm going to try again now I have a little time, nothing's changed I still own nought!

* * *

Tobias Fornell stood up as soon as he saw the approaching figure of Leroy Jethro Gibbs "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Your security isn't all it's cracked up to be Tobias, a woman that was under Homeland security protection is lying dead in my morgue"

Fornell was taken aback, when had this happened, why had nobody told him? "Who?"

"Jane Stroud" Tony answered blankly

"One second" Fornell put on his reading specs and started typing on his computer "That's unusual Rose Lawrenceson came to us over 15 years ago..."

Ziva finished his sentence "Just before Lily was born"

"Who's Lily" Fornell was obviously not well enough informed

"Her daughter. The one who found her body this morning. Most probably the reason Rose Lawrenceson came to you, so I suggest that you tell us who or what she needed protection from so we can keep Lily safe" Gibbs was mad, Tony knew this was the point just before steam came out of his Bosses ears.

"I'll just get you the file" Another few clicks away "It appears Rose gave us information on a ring of men who were selling women and children" Fornell seemed disgusted as he words came out of his mouth "The leader was a, trained assassin from somewhere in the middle-east he recruited marines to do his dirty work, the last time we heard of them they were around 12 - 15 strong"

The smoke was practically streaming from Gibbs ears now and even Ziva was a little worried "Why don't we know about them if they were marines?"

"It was strictly confidential til we had a hold on them, basically it was above NCIS pay grade"

Gibbs voice was raised now "Cut the crap Tobias. You better be telling me everything or God help me if you've put that girl in danger"

* * *

Lily strolled into Abby's lab, the place felt comfortable to her already probably because of the huge welcome she seemed to always receive "How are you holding up?" Abby questioned genuinely concerned she really liked Lily she was almost one of the team already, and that was no easy feat.

"Fine, I suppose Abby, but don't be too nice to me I'll start crying again. Whatcha doin'?"

Abby exhaled a sigh from her blackened lips "Looking over everything again, these prints are taking forever, I think they're too partial for my baby to process, you?"

"Getting 5 bucks of McGee, remind me to claim my half off Tony later. So what have we got to look at?"

The Goth walked over to her computer screen and pulled the pictures up on to the screen "I must have been over these 7 times but I can't come up with something new. The bullets from the gun Tony said it was everything's in place nothing out of the ordinary, just another shooting. Golly gosh, I'm so sorry, Caf Pow to make up for my stupidit?" Abby realized what she had just said offering Lily some of her precious fuel.

"S'alright Abby, I get my caffine the old fashioned way – coffee, and none of that watered down rubbish mind you" One tear escaped her brown eyes "So you say the gun's a K857 what kind of kinetic force would a bullet from that gun have?"

Abby took a second to think "Oh around 2.8, 2.9 KJ"

"And how deep would you say that hole was?"

Abby could see where Lily was going with this and she was right "You're a genius!"

"I am? Didn't think that was actually right"

"Ah yes, but you thought of it didn't you" Abby gave her shoulders a tight squeeze.

Lily forced half a smile "I suppose"

"Okay then," Abby pulled her graphic simulator up and started working out the densities to try and find out how much extra power was given to the bullet that killed her friends Mum "If it went through, and then, it should end up just about here but it didn't so if I work back."

Lily tried hard not to think about what Abby was actually simulating "So, who's Renee Benoit?"

Abby did a double take "What? Why do you ask that?"

The teen took half a step back in shock "Why is everyone so shocked when they hear his name? He was just some guy Mum dated months back"

Abby felt she was obliged to tell her new apprentice "Renee Benoit also known as the Frog or le Grenuille, is a major arms dealer who our director has a grudge against but he disappeared recently"

Lily took a moment to process the information Abby had just given her "So, does what we just found suggest it wasn't him because if you are or work for an arms dealer aren't you going to have free access to some powerful guns rather than having to supe up your K857"

"Exactly! I'll phone Gibbs" Abby picked up her office phone and hit speed dial 1, as per usual Gibbs answered on the second ring

"What have you got for me Abby?" His tone was short and still angered

"Geeze Gibbs who got your knickers in a twist? Anyways, it can't have been le Grenuille because the gun was suped up and you would have a good supply of guns if you were working for a major arms dealer and"

"I know Abby," Abby carried on her ramble not hearing what Gibbs was saying

"I'm not actually sure why you'd have a gun like that in the first place. Did you just say I know? How could you know already, our telepathic connection can't work that quickly Gibbs?"

Gibbs smiled on the other end of the line he never quite understood why Abby thought they had a telepathic connection but it was nice to know she thought of him as having super powers "Sorry Abs, Fornell told me about who Lily's Mum was and who was probably after her, but good job anyway"

"You should really be congratulating Lily she was the one who thought of it." But the line was already dead, Gibbs didn't believe in saying good-bye. You only say good-bye if you're not going to see them again. "I really hate it when he does that!"

Lily was intrigued by her friend's uncharacteristic words of anger "Does what?" She questioned

"Knows everything before me. You didn't know, did you?" Abby shot Lily a look of accusation "If you knew..."


	7. When The Lights Go Out, Part 1

Part one of two, obviously I own nothing. I'd like to dedicate this first part of the chapter to all of you who have this story favourited and alerted but don't comment, thanks for enjoying!

* * *

3 boxes of Chowmein, 2 crispy Duck, and one vegetable stir-fry later – it was now 10pm- they had nothing new. Tony and Ziva had searched background checks into all of the possible killers, McGee had run all of the tests he could think of on Rose Lawrenceson's (Jane Stroud's) Laptops, Gibbs had tried to listen to his gut and Lily had lost two out of three games of Black Jack to Abby and was now sitting on the floor of the Bullpen, but still nothing that would lead them to the killer, no nothing new at all.

A heavy sigh left Gibbs weary lips, this job was really catching up on him these days "Have we got anything new?"

Everybody's faces took on a blank yet apologetic look "Sorry boss" Tony was the only one to voice their regret.

However the electrical system seemed to sense the atmosphere and the whole room turned into a midnight black "McGee?" Gibbs asked the nearest sufficiently computer literate person searching for answers, he didn't need a power cut to add to his list of problems which was already far too long.

"It's a power cut boss" McGee answered seemingly unaware that his boss wanted answers as to how and why it happened and when would he damn well fix it.

Some days he really couldn't get the staff "I know that McGee however what I need to know is how and why it happened and when you are going to have it fixed for!"

"Oh right, sorry boss" Had he already forgotten 'don't apologise it's a sign of weakness' "A range of things could have set it off but it should rectify its self when the backup generator comes on"

The backup generator did turn on eventually but then slowly fizzled out within 2 minutes ever resourceful – his Mum always said he should have been a scout (where are the cute girls in that he asked)- pulled out his phone and tried to work out what was going on "Boss," Gibbs head turned his face saying whatever it is you're going to say DiNozzo better turn these lights back on "I know it's not good news but at least we're not alone the powers died across 4 states. Ronny says it'll be a good 8 or 9 hours, they're routing all of the backup generators to keep the hospitals going"

"Keeping people alive is more important than Tony's game of Tetris I suppose" Ziva knew she was undermining his position as the current know-it-all and she hoped he'd play along. Luckily – for her sanity was at a risk if she didn't see the old Tony soon- he did.

He gave Ziva the annoyed smile he used to get all the time from Kate he even did the thing where she exhaled through her nose loudly, God he still missed her. Why did everyone he loved leave? His Mum. Kate. Jeanne. Was Ziva next? "Obviously Zee-vah your ninja spy skills aren't as sharp as they used to be I was playing Solitare, thank you very much" It then dawned on him what he had just admitted to as the broadest of grin spread across Ziva's face "Sorry Boss, won't happen again. Darn, sorry for saying sorry boss. I apologise for saying..."

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs tone was a warning

"Shutting up Boss"

Gibbs rubbed his temples in frustration "I guess we'll just have to call it a night. Get some rest and be ready to be back here for 0700 hours"

The teams eyes widened in shock, Tony's mouth even hung an open to some extent forming he perfect 0 "Are you sure boss?" The probie agent spoke the question that was on all of their minds.

"Do I look like I'm joking to you McGee?"

McGee took on his ever so common character of regret "No"

Gibbs shook his head ever so slightly "Good. Now you heard what I said, Lily you're with me I need to find your closest relative"

She just shook her head, of course. She didn't have a relative to be the closest.

Gibbs internally apologised for his probie mistake "Okay..."

Lily spoke for what must have first time in hours "Am I going home? With them out there?"

Gibbs walked over to where Lily sitting on the floor and offered her a hand up "No, I wouldn't leave you in danger, you can stay at mine I have a spare room" the words Kelly's old room were, left unsaid.

"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude"

"It's my job to look after you. How else am I going to make sure you stay out of trouble?"

Lily gave him a smile that simply said "Thanks". The rest of the team gathered their things and got ready to go.

Just as McGee approached the border of the bull pen a thought occurred in his protocol filled head "Do you think Abby knows?"

Tony gave him his classic smirk as he put his hand on the probie's shoulder "The power's out so Mr Masspectrometer won't be working, she'll be on the phone to the board of electricity telling them to put the power back on because her baby's died. She'll be fine"

"But I should still go and tell her right? So she doesn't worry"

Tony started walking in the direction of the stairs again "If it helps you sleep at night McGee... or if it doesn't, sure."

Ziva hurried past the confused figure of McGee "It's a lovely thought McGee. Tony! Carry the door"

Tony shook his head in disappointment of Ziva's poor idiodim. "Hold, Ziva. Use the other stairs McAbby" He said as the doors of the stairwell swung shut as Ziva stepped in "It's a sad day, our little McProbie is all grown up."

There was a short pause before they reached the bottom of the tsirs, Tony had never known that the journey was so long before "I just hope Abby loves him as well" Ziva's tone suddenly to took a sour edge "Unrequited love never stops hurting" and on that note she stormed out of the lobby and into the equally chilled atmosphere of the car park and straight to her mini cooper.

Tony just in shock of the words his partner had just uttered. Surely she didn't mean them? It had to be someone else, Ziva would never love him. He was just being egotistical again. With that he juddered himself out of his trance following the Israeli's graceful footsteps.

* * *

Please comment....


	8. When The Lights Go Out, Part 2

Sorry it's been a little while but here is the not so awaited 2nd part of chapter 7

* * *

Timothy McGee ambled quietly and cautiously into Abby's lab. The doors had shut leaving Abby inside lying on her back staring at all of her beloved machinery. McGee knocked. Abby jumped. Bert farted.

Abby realised who it was as she walked to the door waving and then signing something to McGee through the sound proof doors. He was never that good a signing or charades for that matter so he just waved and sat beside the door not wanting to leave Abby alone in the dark.

Gibbs' house was exactly how Lily had pictured it just more ... empty.

"I wasn't expecting visitors" He said as he watched Lily survey his home

Suddenly she felt guilty "Sorry I didn't mean to..."

"Don't apologise, you weren't expecting any of this either, I don't have much food in but I can call for a take away"

Lily sniffed holding back the tears, another thing she'd miss – her mums cooking. "I'm not really hungry, where's your bathroom though?"

* * *

How could she have been so stupid to have let something like that slip? Unrequited love? Ugh she was such a baboon, balloon, buffoon!

Of course Tony didn't love her, he still loved Jeanne and Kate she could never be anything like them. She wasn't soft, or open; she didn't want to settle down and cook dinner for hungry children; she wasn't what he wanted. She was no Jeanne, Jenne fixe people; she just broke was Ziva David, mossad ninja chick unable to love, or so she thought until she met Tony.

* * *

"Ziva David does not love you Tony, and stop talking to yourself in the 3rd person DiNozzo" Tony ranted as he drove home.

He really did like Ziva, like really really like but he wasn't sure whether that equated to love. Or if Ziva was actually talking about him, for all he knew Ziva could have a boyfriend, a fiancé or even a husband back in Israel. His stomach churned at the thought of Ziva with anyone else. He must love her. She was everything, she was perfect, she was just Ziva. But was she going to feel the same way? Was he Anthony the Joker DiNozzo good enough for someone like Ziva?

* * *

Lily couldn't sleep; her own mothers face haunted her every time she closed her eyes. She decided to go and find Gibbs, she always felt a little safer when she was around him. Lily crept down the stairs listening for the soft noises she could hear. The basement door creeped open as Lily's small feet padded down the stairs.

Gibbs could have sworn that her heard Kelly coming down the stairs to his basement as he looked up he couldn't help but be disappointed. Lily saw it.

"Couldn't sleep?" Gibbs tried to wipe the look off his face it wasn't her fault that she wasn't who he wanted her to be.

Lily just nodded silently sitting down. "How do you forget?" She whispered after a few moments in the quiet of Gibbs' basement.

"You don't you just have to get on with your life, and try to remember the good times because if you forget who else will remember?" he spoke with remorse and empathy

Lily blinked back the tears "I don't want to forget I just want it to stop hurting"

"I know" Gibbs moved over to embrace her.

Mid hug Lily lent back to look at the man before her "Who is it you see when you look at me? It's as if you don't see me you just look straight through."

Gibbs just stared in shock. His gaunt expression was caught half way through the exhale as a shrill version of Beethoven's fifth erupted from Lily's vibrating phone. She reached into her jeans and opened the text message that came with the incoming message logo flashing back and forth.

She screamed. A terrified shrill scream. A scream which tore through Gibbs heart.

"What is it?" Lily just kept screaming and shaking her head as Gibbs ripped the phone from her petrified finger "Dear Lord, I'm calling the team in NOW! How di this happen?" His voice broke down to a whisper "How could they?"

* * *

Du, Duh, Duuuuuuuh! Please do comment, and kind of response is welcomed, honest!


	9. Found Then Lost

Oh my gosh, wow, thank you for the reviews. You honestly don't know how much they meant! Hopefully this lives up to expectations and acts as thanks for your love in the festive season.

* * *

The whole journey to NCIS HQ Lily was shaking even though she was wrapped in Tony's coat and a blanket. The whole building was in lock down since the power cut, saving Gibbs a phone call. As they walked into the bull pen everyone was already sitting at their desks waiting for whatever it was that Gibbs was going to tell them.

Gibbs didn't articulate; he gave McGee the phone to put the image on the screen. What they saw shocked all of them – even Ziva. Rose Lawrenceson, well Jane Stroud was dismember and strewn in pieces across Lily's bedroom. WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. WE ARE COMING FOR YOU. WE WILL MAKE YOU SPEAK was written in red across the place where Lily used to feel safe and dream.

Tony was the first to shake himself out of the petrified trance the collective of the team was in "What are we going to do boss?"

"I don't know Tony" The use of his first name was chilling enough, but Gibbs didn't know what to do? "I just don't know"

"I do. Camp fire" The team followed Tony's orders, sitting in a rough circle, they called Abby in as well as Ducky as they sat in the dimming light of the newly found electricity. "So what do we know?"

"Jane Stroud was killed by a single professional bullet to the head, her body was later taken from the morgue and dismembered horrifcaly"

"A K857 was suped up and used"

"The shooter was 6.2, blonde, tanned and most probably the leader of the a group of sick individuals which are under _F_our _B_lundering _I_diots super vision" All of the voices up until that point had been sombre adding their piece of evidence as if they were in an outer body experience. "What it's the truth!"

Suddenly Lily unfurled herself standing up "We were under protection! We were meant to be SAFE! They knew who they were? What the fucking hell were they doing? Does no one care? They want me! They want something!..." She would have carried on but Gibbs pulled her down tucking her protectively under his arm. Her voice was hoarse but she carried on crying. As Gibbs tried to sooth her fear. The rest of the team felt uncomfortable with the scene before them but felt unable to speak.

"What is going on here?" Jenny Sheppard walked down the stairs obviously not aware enough of the situation that had occurred within her own agency.

Once again it was Tony who spoke up first "What's going on here? Well let's see an innocent ...."

"S'alright DiNozzo, Jenny can I have a word in your office..._now_" Gibbs left Lily wrapped in a protective ball

* * *

Jenny stood strong with her arms crossed in front of her chest "So are you going to tell me what's going on Jethro?"

The fire had been ignited in Gibbs' eyes; he knew what to do now. "The girl out there has just found out that her whole life has been a lie, she's lost her mother and is receiving death threats. We have no new leads"

* * *

Lily took a deep breath composed herself and then got up. Out of instinct Ziva stood up too as if to protect her from her enemies.

"I'm going..." Her voice was hoarse and barely audible

Tony's voice was stern "Lily, what's that going to achieve?"

Her brain on autopilot Lily raised an eyebrow "Going to the toilet? Well I'm not sure"

"I will go with you" Ziva felt it was her duty to guard the fragile girls in front of her, an emotion that had caused her great pain many years ago and she had almost forgotten after the tragedy of Tali's death.

"I just need to clear my head" With that she left with _14_ eyes watching her as she dragged her feet across the fuzz of the carpet.

* * *

Jenny was shocked but retained her front as director "And no one thought to tell me this?"

"We were trying to find those responsible" This wasn't her; this was the Director of NCIS not Jenny. Gibbs didn't like what this job was doing to her, but then again his view was biased and he had never liked it when she was apart from his side. "If that's all?" It was rhetorical as Gibbs walked off to find his team, his family.

* * *

Help! Help! HELP! Was all Lily could think. Her mouth was covered by the hot calloused palm of a man triple her size whilst what could only be described as evil manhandled her. She tried to scream but she could barely breathe. She tried to fight but her graceful limbs could only make futile attempts at lashing out. She tried not to cry, but it was all too much. She was going to die, Lily felt her short life pass before her eyes thinking this moment was her last.

* * *

Gibbs re-entered the bull pen but as his crystal eyes scanned the room they hit a shard of loss. "Where's Lily?" His voice just slightly panicked.

"Toilet" It was McGee who made the fault of answering.

The flame reignited in Gibbs' eyes "Alone!? Why didn't someone go with her?" His gut was being ripped apart; the sense of foreboding was unimaginable.

"I will go now" Ziva ran into the restroom kicking every stall door before a similar feeling of dread filled her heart "GIBBS!"

That was it the last straw broke. Why didn't I protect her? It was all he could see, not to picture Kelly and Shannon, Not again. He stood spinning around in the empty room. There was no evidence that she had even been there. No evidence except the scar on the heart of the team.

"Gibbs?" Tony questioned his leader

There needed to be no further words apart from "We find her."

* * *

Hopefully that was good eneough for some reviews.


	10. Snap Shot of Hell

Thanks for the comments, and the love from S'Dot Yam as well as the The Devil's Little Angel, thanks for noticing that error I'll do my best to correct it in later chapters!

* * *

Abby and McGee scoured CCTV, the hallway and surrounding area for any clues, Tony and Ziva accompanied by Ducky when to the Stroud Residence. Ziva drove, quickly but not dangerously. The room was disturbingly eerie Ducky collected a meat puzzle which used to be a mother, Tony overturned a place that used to be a safe haven, and Ziva photographed a once private room.

Ziva broke the silent deadlock "I have never seen anything like this, even in Mossad"

"That's because it should never happen my dear, I'm sorry we hadn't kept you safer my dear but don't worry we'll look after your daughter"

"We haven't done such a great job so far Ducky"

* * *

It was cold and dark. The floor was damp and Lily could feel a warm sticky patch at the back of her head.

"Welcome home Darling" An acerbic male voice emerged from the black, it had a slight accent somewhat like Ziva's but a face not nearly as kind or endearing.

* * *

As soon as the rest of his team had left all Gibbs wanted to do was personally kill the person who had done this, but he had to find him first. He took the stairs in twos as he walked into MTAC stopping squarely in front of Miss Sheppard.

"I need to speak to Fornell" His request was blunt

But her response was quizzical and ever so slightly sarcastic "What no please?"

"Not now Jenny, I need to speak to Fornell...NOW" There was no reasoning him so Jenny just nodded at the reluctant monitor who requested a feed with the new Director not Agent Fornell.

"Couldn't keep away Jethro? How nice to..."

He didn't have time for this; he needed to save her "What aren't you telling me?"

Fornell gritted his teeth, he knew this routine too well he'd often been fortunate to be on the other side, but not now "I'm not sure I know what you mean"

He did NOT have time for this "That's Bull Shit and you know it"

Jenny interrupted the sparring match "What's going on?"

Gibbs was seeing red "Lily's been taken by them, and Fornell over there has something he's not telling me"

"Not for the first time today, when were you thinking of telling me?"

She was dismissed by Gibbs infuriated tone "WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?" His directed solely at the screen and its inhabitant.

* * *

"So what do you think of your new home?" the voice came again sneering at her. She was not trained for this she had never been told what to do if kidnapped, bound and confronted with pure evil. She was a teenager she was trained to find the value of x, search for deep symbolic meaning in pros that the author didn't even know they'd put in, she was trained to know what shoes would go with which jeans.

"I asked you what do you think of your new place of residence?" he was enraged grabbing her jaw to force her to speak and making a claw shaped welt on her once blemish free face.

She was just a child.

* * *

Gibbs lowered his tone pleading "She's just a kid Fornell"

He knew that, but this was a whole country of children at stake "They have been rumoured to be working with terrorists, powerful terrorists. It's a tenuous but definite link from some Intel we got last week" He sighed

His jaw was held tightly, barely able to speak through clenched teeth "...and you couldn't have told me this before?" the cadence of his voice was sharp and pierced straight through Fornell's soul.

On that bitter note Gibbs departed the room of a thousand screens and entered the elevator. Kicking the steely metal Gibbs felt his anger cool to a similar just manageable level.

"What've you go for me Abs?" He placed a firm hand on his favourite forensic scientists shoulder.

"Aaaah Gibbs! Don't do that to me" As Abby turned around Gibbs could see the remnants of where her makeup had formed black crystallized trails down her pale complexion when her tears had fallen. "I've got nothing CCTV died when the power went out, and the camera in autopsy didn't catch anything. There are no fibres, hairs or even skin cells anywhere that don't belong to one of the teams. I'm sorry"

"I know, I am too"

* * *

The ride from the crime scene was silent just as the one before had been. The only difference now was they had no hope just a dead body. Tony and Ziva had found nothing and according to Ducky the marks of dismemberment were nonspecific and how he would have expected. Not that any of this was expected.

* * *

Lily could see its face now. It was him. "Let's get straight down to it shall we?"

There was just a small insignificant whimper of fear form Lily, and the most hideous sight she's ever seen loomed before her like a thunder cloud. "Where is it?" He ordered.

Lily just gave another almost inaudible wail.

"Not in a talking mood are we? Maybe this will help" He slapped Lily around the face. The imprint of his hand burned on her cheek as if she'd been touched by hell.

This time she managed a scream.

"Still no? Oh your mother has taught you well but don't worry your death will be equally painful. Where is it?"

Lily's throat burned, she felt she knew what it was like to be a fire eater "I d....don't know... what you ...mean"

He let out a cackle of anger and delightment "Are you sure little one? You wouldn't we lying to me would you?"

"N....n...no"

His wretched face broke out into an almost half grin "Because if you were I'd have to get my friend over there" Lily's eyes shifted sideways she could see the man that looked like a brick wall from before "Look at me when I'm speaking to you" He grabbed her jaw again, but her eyes drifted into her lap unable to meet his strong gaze "LOOK at me!" There was so much anger and evil in those orbs "We'll have to get your friends at NCIS to help you out then won't we?"

The large man walked forward taking a picture of him hitting Lily again. The flash of unnatural light blinding her and only adding to the fear in her face.

* * *

10 minutes later a beep sounded from the monitor a dejected Gibbs' screen. Automatically his face changed to being stricken with grief disgust and anger. How could he have let this happen? "McGee take this down to Abby get her to run it and find out where the hell they are and who this son of a bitch is!"

* * *

Thanks for all the comments please carry on, there is more to come.


	11. What If My Best Isn't Good Enough?

Okay so this is your pre-Christmas update, it'll be posted on the 22nd because I'm going away on a little thing my parents have decided is a holiday, plus I have loads of course work to do.

* * *

As soon as Abby saw the picture of Lily broken, shattered but alive she wailed. Her whole being shook with sobs, McGee tried to comfort her folding his arms slightly awkwardly around her shoulders. He hated to see her like this. He couldn't deal with girls crying, it got to him every time, he had never been able to sit by and watch his sister cry. But this was worse, this was Abby and he didn't know what to do. "C'mon Abs, you've really got to work your magic on this image however disturbing it is"

"I can't Timmy, it's just too horrible how can you be so calm?"

How could he be this calm? It was a good question, which he didn't know the answer to, he thought prehaps he was just being strong for Abby, because he'd never be able to face death like Ziva, Tony and Gibbs "I don't know, but we've really got to find out where they are and who it is so we can find her, you do understand that, right? I know it's terrible but unless we find out where they are there's nothing we can do to save Lily"

Abby swallowed back her sorrow, to save Lily she thought as she nodded once letting McGee know she'd be alright. Then she scanned the image into her facial recognition program.

As she was working McGee still didn't go, he just couldn't bring himself to leave her again, not while she did this he thought. "Just another moment" he said silently. He needed to be there as much for Abby as himself.

* * *

It was so cold. Lily had been stripped down to just her t-shirt undergarments and socks. Her whole body shook with cold, with fear and with pure terror.

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home" She tried to boost her own moral. It didn't work. All she pictured was her mum mutated, disfigure, and stained. As she tried to shake her head to relieve it from the image she heard another sob. Sob she was sure hadn't come from her own lips.

The wail came and faded again. There was someone else. There was someone else who was hurt. "Hello?" her voice croaked as load as it could before her voice box would crack. There was a mass wail.

Then he came storming in his heavy footstep causing the cheap flooring to creak and Lily's chair to vibrate "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" He shook her so hard that Lily's her snapped back causing the warm sticky patch on the back of her head to strike brutally against the uncompromising pine of the chair. He hit Lily once more warm trickle oozed from her jaw before he tipped the base of the chair leaving her stranded on the harsh floor. Lily's spine curled at the shock waves making her howl in agony once more.

* * *

Tony's head snapped round at the sound of his boss' voice "What've you got?"

"There are no specific names just one picture of him, and a couple of CCTV snaps I've sent them down to Abby just be sure that they haven't missed anything, but there's nothing new boss" Tony didn't need to apologise his tone was more rueful than any words he could have thought of. He blamed himself. He'd been the senior field agent. He'd let her go on her own. He hadn't stopped her being taken.

Ziva's eyes bobbed up from the screen she'd been staring intently at waiting for the words that she wanted to appear. "I'm going over all of the Intel again to see if there's anything else mentioned - nothing so far." Her tone showed a remorseful note which held far too much of the blame. She should have gone with her. She could have stopped this all. She looked down her gaze meeting Tony's. Their eyes locked, at that moment they were thinking precisely the same thing. Sorry.

Tony knew Ziva was blaming herself just like he was. She shouldn't, it wasn't her fault it was his. Tony just wanted all of this to be over, if not just to have his Ziva back and to see her smile.

"There' nothing there McGee, absolutely nothing. You're not going to find her. That evil ... evil... is going to do something horrible I can just feel and it and I'll have done nothing" Abby glared helplessly at her screen.

McGee only put his calming hand on her shoulder "You did your best Abby"

"What if my best isn't good enough?"

* * *

Okay so it was only a little filler, sorry. However get ready for you 3 chapter christmas gift on the 22nd!


	12. The Phone Call, Part 1

A small taster, chapter

* * *

Pain seared through Lily's body consuming every pore, and every thought. Her muscles contracted instinctively as she caught sight of him entering the room again through her peripheral vision.

His face was no longer twisted with anger but broadened as his tone mocked "After that stunt you pulled, did you think there'd be no consequences?" His face wide and smirking cracked a cackle as he righted Lily's chair.

The window smashed. Shattered into a million pieces. McGee's eyes squinted causing them to look like shards of icy blue. "Stay there Abby, phone Gibbs"

"You see I thought before, I do anything to you I'd let you watch a little show" Roughly he shoved Lily's head to look at a screen watching the events of Abby's lab unfold.

The man who could have passed as the hulks brother leapt through the remnants of the window landing on all fours and hissing like a the feral animal he was. Hitting McGee squarely in the jaw before he could even think to react, he stalked Abby ready to pounce as she fumbled with the black phone in her hands.

Abby just reached the number screaming the last word of her consciousness "Gibb..." before she too was struck down. The swine just grunted, satisfied with his random ordered violent attack.

Lily screamed, she lashed out, she broke down. "Stop! Please stop!"

The menacing chortle exploded again from the abyss "You think you can stop me little girl? Watch." He commanded once more as his beastlike henchman left a disposable phone on Abby's desk, then disappeared into the darkness where he had come from. "So are you going to tell me where your bitch of a mother hid it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" The words flowed out of her in one breath between sobs. If she hadn't gone alone maybe Abby and McGee would have been alright.

"That I can't believe. But let's start with something easier shall we? Where did you find the address?"

The moment Lily saw her mother just lying there flashed before her eyes not for the first time. "In mum's journal" Her voice was more composed now; she was doing this to help her friends.

"Good girl" He praised her as if she were some kind of animal "Now did you see a list?"

Lily's answer was quick and succinct "No"

His lips were now pursed as the anger began to simmer inside of him "Are you sure" He contained it however with a somewhat sideways grimace as he raised his eyebrows above a natural level.

Lily knew what was coming next, she could feel the anger radiating off of her captor. So her answer was silent just one plain obvious nod.

"Where the hell is it then?"

* * *

Gibbs shot down the stairs, missing out over half of them but he was still too late. A bitter breeze rattled through the lab. He knelt down his face softening with fear and sorrow at the obvious pain of his agents "Abby?" Gibbs' voice was barely recognizable or audible.

"Gibbs" Abby strained a compulsory smile, which quickly faded "Where were you?"

But this answer was unneeded as she knew he had come as quickly as possible, he hadn't been able to stop this happening, he done his best. Now it was Gibbs to question, what if my best isn't good enough? He's let Lily down now Abby and McGee who was next?

His wallowing in guilt and self deprivation was cut short by McGee stirring as he heard voices even if they were muffled "Abby!" obviously unaware that his battle was over his instinct was to protect her. Gibbs paced over to his panicked figure reassuring him "It's alright"

"What happened?" McGee's brain automatically shot back on as adrenaline coursed through his veins.

Tony smiled, as he and Ziva had literally just arrived filled with a sense of relief "That's what we're going to find out Probie, now where was that right hook I showed you?" This was when Tony came into his own. He was a beam of sunshine amidst the cloud of trepidation and hurt.

Ziva couldn't help but smile, in case it was her last smile in a long time. She had her old Tony back; the one and only real DiNozzo.

* * *

He paced, back and forth, back and forth. But the steady rhythm didn't calm him, he was vitriolic his eyes were still narrowed and fixated on the one thing he needed. He couldn't do this without that list. He wouldn't survive without that list. It was his. But he was theirs and if they didn't have that list he wouldn't have his life. "Let's see if we can jog your memory shall we?" He hit Lily this anger smoking out of every pore and every gratifying pound of flesh. He hit her until she didn't think that her body could take anything else as she toppled gratefully off the cliff of consciousness.

* * *

Gibbs eyes surveyed the room looking for any trace of the feral warrigal that had done this, then his eyes narrowed fixation on the one point of his desire. The glint of the metallic surface was all he needed to spur him in to action rather that anger, they had at least one lead "McGee find the source of that phone, Tony Ziva Clean up this mess, Abby you're with me"

Abby stayed seated shaking her head like a defiant child.

"C'mon Abs, you're safe now"

"I know but I want to stay here. I need to help too, I need to help catch them and find Lily"

He exhaled deeply he knew this was going to happen but he didn't want anyone else in danger "No Abs"

Abby jumped to her feet giving Gibbs her strongest smile "If you hadn't noticed I'm an NCIS agent too. Plus if you're really that worried Tony, Ziva and McGee are here. How much danger can I be in?"

Too much was his only thought but Gibbs recognized that he couldn't stop Abby she was right, if you love someone you've got to let them stand on their own two feet "Fine, but I'll be calling you all every ten minutes until I have answers, is that clear?"

There was a mixed chorus of "Yes boss" and "Yes Gibbs" He knew they'd be okay but he didn't know if Lily would be.

* * *

She was, alive, for now. Lily came round about two hours later. The pain was like a fire coursing through her veins.

"Awake are we?" It was him but his cadence was more sarcastic than ever before "Good because I need you to make a little phone call for me" He untied her hands and moved them to her front, then tied them once again around her wrists so tight that she could feel every fibre of the plastic rope spearing her bruised skin. It placed the phone into her shaking hands and pressed the green button.

* * *

There was a shrill beeping noise from the phone that Gibbs had been staring at for the past hour, 12 minutes and 39 seconds after McGee declared that there was no way that he could find who had bought it or where. He picked it up on the second ring as always, but answering more harshly "Where have you taken her?"

He didn't receive the reply he was expecting but he was grateful none the less "Gibbs" Lily's voice croaked out those two syllables of hope with all of her effort managing only a muffled noise, he knew it was her, he knew she was there, he knew he had to find her even more than ever.

* * *

Ready for tomorrow's update?


	13. The Phone Call, Part 2

Okay so this is your Christmas Gift, I've been hard at work, **_4 CHAPTERS! _**Hope you like them so here goes....

* * *

Lily only had chance to utter one more word "Help" her diminutive voice was cut off by the phone being snatched from her hand

"You've heard the merchandise now pay me my answers and get it back in one piece"

Lily could barely hear Gibbs raised voice through the quiet speaker of the phone "What do you want?"

"It depends what are you offering?"

* * *

McGee was still tapping away furiously but silently trying to trace the location even if he couldn't get its owners ID when Gibbs gaze fell on him. He raised his eye brows an order for an answer, none came.

They were NCIS, Gibbs knew protocol, he didn't give a stuff about protocol but he knew they did _not_ bargain with terrorists "I'm not offering anything, and you still haven't answered my question"

All Gibbs heard was a scream. The shrill noise of pure pain and fear. The most gut wrenching and heart breaking sound he could think of.

* * *

That crooked smirk was once again painted on his face as hit Lily "What a shame Agent Gibbs I don't think you're in a position to bargain with me. You see I need something but you need to get it for me if you want to see this precious little thing again" Pinched Lily's cheek as if he were a patronizing overzealous Grandma who hadn't seen her in weeks. "Before you ask me what it is I want, tell you computer geek, Timothy is it? To give up now this call has been well covered"

* * *

McGee cocked his head to one side asking his boss whether it was right to take orders from a kidnapper. Gibbs closed his eyes and nodded. This guy was too good he hated it when they knew what they were doing. He hated it even more when they were one step ahead of him and had the upper hand.

* * *

"What I want is a list, my list" He pursed his lips on the last two words "A real gem of a woman named Rose Lawrenceson, oh yeah that's right you may know her as the dead and ever so slightly mutilated Jane Stroud stole it from me" His voice filled with the dastardly sarcasm that was almost frightening. "If you don't get me this one simple little list before 12 noon tomorrow I'll be so sorry to have to start giving you my daughter in tiny little pieces and send it to your tiny little Agents who too will be chopped up so finely they'll be mincemeat ready for a nice kosher meal"

* * *

At that last comment Ziva furrowed her brows in a way that was frequently demonstrated by her male counter parts. Suddenly almost automatically a light flashed in her eyes. It was a light of recognition which faded to despair and regret.

She grabbed her note pad and scribbled furiously holding up the sign to Gibbs then Tony 'I KNOW HIM'

Gibbs clenched his teeth even tighter forcing his jaw to ache under the stress. Tony mouthed 'Who?'

Once again she wrote 'ABADDON BEN-HALIM' Ziva nearly choked as she wrote the name. This was not good; she thought she had been rid of this piece of hell long ago.

"So what's it to be agent Gibbs?" Abaddon knew he had the upper hand as Lily sobbed, it had taken so little for the girl to break and it would not be long before the plan was put into action. Then who knew what riches he would acquire. "Shalom Gibbs". He smashed the phone and walked out of the room leaving Lily once more alone and deliberating what had happened and what was still to come.

"Damn!" Gibbs swore in frustration as the line went dead. They had nothing new apart from a name and knowing how Ziva's face had contorted once she figured out who it was this was not a good thing. Gibbs felt helpless and inadequate, there was nothing he could do except comply if he wanted to get Lily back before she ended up like Shannon, Kelly, Paula and Kate.

Ziva sighed a sigh of knowledge "Abaddon Ben-Halim, trained in methods of interrogation and murder, lived in Israel until aged 17 further whereabouts unknown after he fled because of many charges brought against him" Her voice took an edge of clinical detachment, Tony knew there must have been more to this Ben-Halim. It troubled him the way Ziva only talked about her past so rarely and with only facts and figures, no emotion.

Gibbs went onto autopilot handing out orders, working the case "Ziva get every syllable on this guy I want to know everything about this scumbag, Tony help her. McGee make sure that you have everything on that cell and go and work with Abby, go over every square inch of that photo again, twice"

The chorus of Tony and McGee sang "Yes Boss" as Ziva just nodded; she knew this would result in an awkward phone call to her father.

* * *

Lily sat in the partial darkness as it cast a shadow over her heart. So this was her father. The mystical figure she had dreamed about. Pictured in her life for as long as she could remember. Half of her was him, half of what she would become could turn out like him, half of her could turn out to be evil. She ran through the events of her short life, her life had been a lie. Uncle Sam was an FBI agent, that explained his disappearance when she was 7, she would never know the rest of her family if she had one, her mother was dead, her father was a murderer and the embodiment of malevolence and she was... she was alone. For the first time in her life Lily felt truly alone. She had been an outcast at school, but never alone in her segregation. She had sat alone in her house but had never been left by her mother's spirit. Lily had been alone in her dreams but never apart from hope.

A single voice hummed a lullaby, it was one she recognized. Her mother had sang it to her when she must have been so tint she fitted into the protective figure's arms. However now one lone voice hummed it, not her mother's voice a desperate one. It must have been them, on the other side of the wall. He had taken a mother and child the symbol of innocence and benevolence and reduced it to this. How could this be part of her?

* * *

Ziva had been alone in wanting to come to NCIS her father had not supported her decision as he had not supported any of her other decisions. Right down to the way she cut her hair. "Father, I need your help, he's back"

Now she needed that support from him she needed him to find the man that had first broken her.


	14. The Right Hands?

"Are you sure it is he?" Director David's voice was controlled as ever.

Ziva closed her eyes and nodded her head as she simply replied "Yes"

"What do you need?" He may not have been the model father but if he was nothing else he was protective, Ziva was the last of his daughters and he was to be damned if he couldn't save her form this monster. He had hurt her once before, and he would not have the chance to do it again.

She rubbed her forehead as if it was actually painful to think "Everything you have on him, we need to find him Father. He has a girl, his daughter and I do not know what he will do"

Ziva's father gritted his teeth as Gibbs had "I will send you the files as well as two of Mossad's agents"

She was taken aback at her Father's generosity. It surprised that he cared, he wanted her safe "Father it is fine, I work in a building of federal agents".

"I will send them and that is final, Shalom Ziva"

"Thank you Papa, Shalom"

* * *

In the five hours before the much sought after information arrived with its armed and very dangerous couriers, the team went over what they had; twice. McGee had gone over everything with a fine toothcomb with a still slightly shaken Abby. Tony and Ziva went over every possible person who could have come into any of their victims or their suspects or their families. Whilst sneaking furtive glances at one another.

Ziva missed the old Tony how they used to joke and spar; she also missed him correcting her idiodims meaning that she had to invade his personal space. Something she always enjoyed that little bit too much just like the hugs he gave her, they were always special.

Tony knew that Ziva was worrying; he hoped that it wasn't about him; he didn't want to cause her any pain. He missed the place they were when Gibbs left, they were more than partners. She would confide in him, jabe with him and laugh with him. In return he'd enjoy her invading his personal space, add meaning to hugs which lasted too long, just watch her as she slept on his couch because then he could stare without her noticing – she always looked so peaceful, special even.

Ziva David didn't look peaceful right now she looked concerned, her brow was set and she was chewing on her bottom lip. That was it this was all Tony could take he got up, power walked the five steps to her desk and put his hand firmly on her upper arm.

"We need to talk" This wasn't an order but a plea, an inkling of desperation.

Ziva didn't say anything she just got up and followed Tony into the elevator.

Tony closed the doors and hit the pause button, isolating them in a strong room of unanswered questions and tension "What aren't you telling me?" Once again his tone wasn't forceful but powerful to Ziva's heightened sense of him.

"What aren't you telling me?" It was an automated defensive answer. She knew this was Tony, and she knew she could tell him anything but there were still things she didn't want to and couldn't discuss.

Tony rolled his eyes, then raised his eyebrows "Nothing Ziva, nothing. You know I loved her, you know I regret it and that I know I shouldn't have crossed the line. So cut the crap and just give me an answer, a real answer"

She gulped. She took a breath. She calmed her nerves. "He was my boyfriend, I was 15 he was 17, I thought I loved him. I was pregnant and then... and then he caught be by surprise. I was only 15 so I knew less, I thought it was a game at first, but then he took me away. Bound me to a chair and tortured me. He was my first love Tony... and then. My father found me, but he was gone. Father could not hunt him down; in his search he found I was not the only one. He blamed himself. And then me. I really thought he loved me Tony"

As the strongest woman he knew broke down into a fragile child with a tortured soul there was nothing he could say. No words could describe how he felt. He was livid. He was concerned. He was filled with sorrow. He hurt so badly that it felt that his sides would split if he wasn't holding Ziva. But most of all he was sorry. So all he did was hold her.

* * *

The woman in the room next to Lily's just held the tiny sleeping form of her child. She didn't know what was to come, if they would survive. She held many of the same questions that Lily did. She heard a child's screams through the wall, and she was sorry, so sorry; but glad, glad that it wasn't her or her little girl.

* * *

He leered over Lily again "So it seems your little friends have a choice to make, let's the both of us hope that they make the right one"

Lily picked up the courage that had been born from captivity "Why are you doing this?"

Abaddon gave her the smirk which showed off his sharp white teeth "So it does speak how nice, I've already told you that though I need my list"

Lily continued to speak "Do you not have another copy? If it's that important..."

"It is that important and that's why there is no other copy, that copy should never have got out, if it falls into the wrong hands it's ruined. It's over... and so will you be"

She furrowed her brow "That's kind of ironic, "into the wrong hands", and you're the right hands?" She mocked him but it just slipped out from fear can come defiance and that's what she had; defiance "What's ruined?" Lily asked quizzically

"Everything"


	15. Fathers

Gibbs didn't know what Ziva and Tony were doing in that elevator, however he knew that there was something wrong and that they were fixing it. So he left them, to fight their own battles and took the stairs down to Abby's lab. "Have you got anything new Abby?"

For the first time that morning Abby smiled, they'd been there all night but it had been worth it, they'd found something "It's funny you should say that Gibbs, well not literally funny or the funny that you'd say rofl to but funny as in odd but not like weird well it is slightly weird because this whole situation is weird well..."

Gibbs just gave her the eye that says get to the point.

"I know get to the point but I've had like 15 cafpows just to stay awake Gibbs"

This time it was McGee who cut her off knowing that Gibbs was growing impatient and they may not have much time "As we know they're in the Virginia area, Abby worked out that they're not in any kind of a warehouse..."

That was all he managed to say before Abby pinched him "How could you McGee? I thought you were my friend! Anyways, ye there's not enough echo for the usual bad guy hide out, so that leaves us with normal residences. So this Abaddon 'fella doesn't own any however from the picture the walls are so blank that it just had to be an apartment. Well I'm assuming, I know that you should never assume in science but I'm making an educated leap. And that's different. So we tried to work out the dimensions of the place but we've only got an approximate area for one room so that doesn't narrow it down to any specific buildings but I did my best Gibbs"

Gibbs kissed her forehead gently "Good work Abs, you got anything else"

A grin took up the whole of the forensic scientists face "Not really, but you can have Timmy back after he stole my thunder" And with that she gave McGee the appropriate evils

* * *

When Gibbs arrived upstairs Ziva was talking in Hebrew to some Israeli men who he assumed were Mossad officers.

Ziva spotted him and called him over "Gibbs!"She took a step back to allow him to see the visitors in full "These are Mossad special officers – Eisig Caen and Amos Loewe, my father sent them"

Gibbs put on his most polite smile "It's nice to meet you" He held out his hand for them to shake, opting to get all of the formalities over and done with now "Have you got the file"

The taller of the two officers who Gibbs assumed was Eisig Caen stepped forward "We have brought the information, and have been ordered to assist you in anyway needed"

"Don't worry I'll tell you if I need anything, set up over there" he pointed to the empty desk behind McGee's "And then go over the files with agent DiNozzo whilst I have a chat with Officer David"

Tony stood up to help the Mossad officers with the boxes of information as Gibbs turned away leaving Ziva to follow him. She took a quick glance at Tony which he reciprocated with a reassuring nod.

* * *

Gibbs stopped behind the stair up to MTAC and the director's office. "Why does your father feel the need to send two armed officers to escort information and then oversee my investigation?"

Ziva knew this just meant, 'What aren't you telling me?' "Abaddon Ben-Halim is wanted by Mossad for personal reasons" that was all she felt comfortable saying.

Gibbs grimaced "Care to elaborate?"

Ziva stared at the floor, feeling as if she was only a teenager again, standing under her father's glare.

"It wasn't a request Officer David"

Ziva swallowed her pride literally "He has tortured and beaten many girls in Israel, often even murdering them. I was one of those girls"

Gibbs felt a small need to comfort her but he knew from the look in her eyes she didn't want sympathy it was too much like pity. Ziva definitely didn't want to be pitied "You didn't think to say anything before. You know he has another girl, and you know where this could end up" He didn't raise his voice, he just walked away departing a worried Ziva to contemplate another girl suffering just as she had. It made her sick.

* * *

Abaddon didn't know why he was answering the child's questions; but he was. Usually his visitors as he liked to call them questions enraged him, but this child was fascinating.

Lily didn't know why she was asking all of these questions; but she was. "So do you speak Hebrew?" Even though he was a monster she supposed, wasn't he still her dad?

"Yes"

This could have been the perfect family chat if she wasn't bound to a chair and covered in injuries "I wish I could, it's such a nice language. I think of it as a bit like Latin but less dull and prettier to look at. Are you a marine? I mean if you're from Israel and you lived there for your entire child hood why don't you fight for them"

He snorted, so naive "Yes I am a marine. And yes I do fight for my country, what do you think I am doing now?"

Lily bit her tongue gently in thought "I don't.....oh" her voice was deflated by her next revelation about her father. He was a terrorist. "Is that why you need the list?"

There were only so many questions he would answer as he walked out of the room.

Lily's tongue throbbed with thirst after talking for so long. She didn't know how she felt about him. She'd found her father at long last. But he was most definitely not the man she dreamed of. He had beaten her, starved her, and threatened in not so many words to blow up her country. How could she even contemplate loving him?


	16. Almost an Angel Again

Ziva had moved back into the loop of searching for information as she relived that terrible, terrible time. Every time she jumped, Tony moved closer, as his presence seemed to soothe her. So far they hadn't found anything else which would help them rather than horrify them as to what may come. Gibbs didn't understand how so much malice could be in one person. The team still had no idea what the list was for or about even though Gibbs' gut was telling him it wasn't good and that it probably had something to do with what Fornell had told him.

Abby was now alone in her lab watching face after face flash by as her baby tried to find the sadist whose photo she'd just scanned in. As the remnants of her cafpow were slurped up and made the hollow noise she knew meant she was all out of fuel, bingo was his name!

"Gotcha!" Corporal David Levy, as the sheet printed its self. Abby flung herself into the elevator not even waiting for Gibbs telepathic abilities.

It was taking so long the 87 seconds it took for the elevator to reach its destination felt like hours to Abby. She needed to tell them and she needed Gibbs to know now!

* * *

Abby came bounding out of the elevator "Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" she rushed over to him, practically running in 2 inch platforms was not easy but she made it.

He spun around at just the right time as Abby skidded to a halt "What is it?"

She exhaled as her cells respired at double time "He's been serving as a Corporal David Levy, he's got an address at an apartment block in Arlington, Virginia" She handed him a printed piece of paper.

The team were already gearing up, including the two Mossad Officers who were staying slightly too close to Ziva.

* * *

They sped to the address in record time as Gibbs had driven, but in the haste had forgotten to put on his bullet proof vest. He didn't seem to notice as the adrenaline coursed through him. He could save her was all he was thinking.

The team raced out of the car and un-holstered their weapons as they ran into the building searching for apartment 19B, it didn't surprise them, perhaps they weren't looking that the building was empty. There were no other cars outside, and the whole block smelt like damp. 19B was on the ground floor so it had a thick floor of wooden boards.

* * *

As they got closer Abaddon could hear them. Their feet pounded across the floor, he ordered his men to stop them. He knew it was all over. It was as if he was moving in slow motion as the world speeded up, they were there before he even had time to run.

Ziva's personal guard had sorted out the three men that had catapulted themselves at the team. Gibbs didn't even see them react. He didn't care his mind was focused as if he was a race horse with blinkers on. He could only see the finish. Gibbs saw the door which had been flung open the hired muscle's haste to apprehend them, he ran through it his weapon raised.

* * *

Lily saw Gibbs. It was as if someone had pulled her out of the water she'd been drowning in, she started to breathe so heavily she thought her chest would explode. She could finally speak freely, without hesitation "There's more, save them, in the next room"

Gibbs heard what she said but didn't react. Lily was number one priority right now; he had to save her. Luckily Tony had heard her too and dashed around the corner with Ziva and then McGee in quick pursuit.

Gibbs bent down and started to untie the knots that had bound Lily in fear and desperation. For now his saving her mean that he didn't see Abaddon.

* * *

Abaddon Ben-Halim, knew he couldn't escape. He knew there was next to no chance of him even getting out alive so a plan quickly formulated in his mind. He was going to take them down with him, as many as he could. He grabbed the gun which had been stored away in what for a normal resident would have been a kitchenette which was attached to the room where he had held Lily. He ducked behind the work surface, biding his time for the perfect shot.

Cut off the head kill the snake flashed before his mind as he stood up and aimed his rifle at Gibbs as he assisted Lily up. There it was the perfect shot. He fired.

* * *

Lily saw him before Gibbs did. It was as if she was in tune with him, she knew what he was doing before he did. I've got nothing left, he can make a difference, he can make this stop; was what flashed before Lily's mind as she jumped. A perfect arc in mid air. Almost an angel again her body shielded Gibbs' chest as the round left the barrel.

Her fall wasn't so graceful, her body loosened as if she was a rag doll as she hit the floor limply. Gibbs too collapsed on the floor, letting out an almost primal scream. He hadn't saved her. How had he let this happen, he hadn't saved her; she'd saved him.

* * *

He felt something not much, but for the first time in he felt remorse. He hadn't meant to hit her, but if that was how it had to be. If that was what would damage the team most then so be it. The pang of regret quickly faded.

He was taken down by two flying bodies. Knocked to the floor, not able to replicate the faultless curve, but close. He didn't fight back, as soon as he lost the list this battle was over. Cuffed and taken away he didn't look back.

* * *

Lily lay there, motionless as if the film strip had been stopped. In her mind it re-winded, zooming back to that moment. Gibbs arms felt like solid lead, there was one small patch which still felt warm. She was alive. Just. But for how long?

He couldn't bear to let anyone else die in his arms, arms that were supposed to have protected them.

* * *

So there it is. What happens next, depends on you guys! There is plenty more to come whatever happens, I've got two scenarios planned out.

Anyways, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and have a Great 2009! See you then.

Allie

PS: If you want to see what Lily looks like just PM me as I've got a small picture (Well it's my interpretation!)


	17. I Need To Stay With Her

Hope you've all had a nice holiday! Sorry it took so long but I've only just got back, and I also must apologise for any mistakes it was typed on iPod (have you seen how small that key board is!)

* * *

McGee phoned an ambulance, this was when you needed to have a brain which processed events like a computer. He acted with protocol every time. Tony, Ziva and her two personal body guards dealt with Abaddon and his hired help, they couldn't look back to see Gibbs looking so broken.

* * *

He couldn't say anything. No words could describe how he felt at that moment. He wanted to go back in time and protect them all, make sure none of this had even happened. This job was making him older, but not wiser. He couldn't hear anything except the beating of his own heart where the beating of Lily's should have been.

The world rushed past him, a blur of action which moved at a pace that was too fast to comprehend. A flash of florescence came into his line of view, making his arms feel as light as a feather. He looked down, she wasn't there. His eyes darted around frantically, they were carrying her away.

Gibbs got up but fell to his knees again; he felt a pair of strong hands on his back. It was another of the florescent person steered him in the direction of the ambulance, Lily wasn't there. "Where is she? Where is she?" He asked frantically, his brain finally switching on to full power.

"It's alright Sir, we're looking after her." One of the ambulance staff tried to calm him.

But Gibbs wasn't having any of it "I need to stay with her"

She smiled, warmly, "She in the other ambulance Sir" He didn't stick around to hear the rest of her sentence, he was on his way stumbling into the other ambulance.

A different glowing assistant held up his hand to try and keep Gibbs out "Excuse me sir, are you a member of her family?"

Gibbs shook his head pulling his hand up to his temples; he felt the searing pain in his side. Gibbs looked down, there was a growing patch of crimson on his shirt, and he put his other hand on it. His wounds didn't matter now, he'd survive. But would she?

* * *

Ziva couldn't even look at him, not because she was afraid of him but because she was afraid of what she felt and how he had affected that.

* * *

Tony didn't know what to do everyone he had always seen as invincible was cracking. He just wanted to stop the hurting, fix them all back together with his usual smiling superglue but it wasn't going to be that easy this time. But he could start with making Abaddon Ben-Halim crack, he definitely needed to pay. However Tony didn't know what felt, what to say or how to deal with it. Luckily the world was still going on around him. Thanks to McGee. He never gave the probie enough credit; that was going to change.

Ziva was the furthest from him, as if she'd just evaporated and been shrunk inside of a shell. Tony was so tempted to ruffle her hair, sometimes it made her smile but he couldn't. Then he made a silent plea to himself "I need to stay with her"

* * *

Abby sat in her lab. Alone. She always seemed to feel it more when she was alone these days. She was worried sick. Why hadn't McGee phoned her? Where they alright? She missed him even though he'd only been gone for so few minutes. Abby couldn't just sit there and do nothing - that was the worry and the cafpow talking- she started trying to contact all of the hospitals afraid of what she might find. No that was silly, she should just phone him. Abby couldn't do this alone she decided; making her way to Ducky he'd have a story to calm her nerves.

* * *

Gibbs clutched Lily's hand, interlocking his fingers with hers. He spoke just one sentence "Is she going to be alright?"  
The ambulance attendant looked at him gravely "She's in a very serious condition sir, but we're trying our best"

That was all he needed, there was some hope

"That doesn't look good, would you mind if I take a look? You can stay here" the man removed Gibbs' shirt and began to clean the bullet wound which went straight through the worried man's torso. Slightly to the right, by some divine intervention it seemed, it had missed every vital organ and their protective cage of ribs.

* * *

Ducky saw a flustered Abby enter his morgue from the corner if his over filled desk "What is it my dear? Has something happened?" He knew the severe meaning behind these questions but spoke with the smallest fraction if Abby's panic. "That's the problem Ducky, I don't know." There was a short, silent pause "Will you phone him for me?"Ducky smiled "Of course my Dear, but I think young Timothy would much prefer to hear from you" With that he handed Abby the black phone.

* * *

McGee span around when he heard the noise at first having completely forgotten he'd left his phone on. He answered it his usual automated response "NCIS Agent McGee speaking"

"Forensic Scientist Abby Scuito calling" Was his answer

His heart sighed "Abby..."

He was alright but here was a distressed note to his voice "What's happened McGee?" Abby's words had already begun to flow out of her at the speed of light.

He thought to deny Abby's accusation but he knew better "Lily saved Gibbs"

"Saved Gibbs how, from what McGee? Don't get cryptic with me!"

McGee could hear Ducky's muffled voice on the other side of the phone "Calm down Abby, I'm sure everything's fine just let the boy speak"

He took a deep breath "Now don't jump to any conclusions Abby, I'm sure they'll both be alright. Abaddon was about to shoot Gibbs when Lily jumped in front of him, she's been hit and the bullet went through and got Gibbs too"

A thousand scenarios all ending terribly blazed is Abby's mind "How bad is it?"

"I don't know, I'm going to the hospital now. Tony and Ziva should be arriving at HQ about now with him and his conspirators so they'll probably need you"

* * *

Gibbs was now bandaged like a mummy from the crook of his arms to the top of his navel. He was sitting on the most uncomfortable plastic chair in a ward which smelt simply of sickness. Then he had an epiphany, he couldn't fail if there was no damsel in distress. They wouldn't have to save him if he wasn't there to be saved. He couldn't disappoint them and they wouldn't have to suffer. He was doing this for them.  
With that Gibbs decided to dethatch himself from all of those he could harm.

* * *

I know it was a pretty stagnant chapter but the next be will be far less static but it might take a while because I've got 9 tests in the next 3 weeks and we've only just got back so I'm craming, I'll try and get some time to write but I can't promise anything.


	18. Author's Note Sorry

Hey Guys and Girls (I swore to myself I wasn't going to do one of these but ah well), after my short sabbatical or a gazillion tests and a 12 page English essay and 3 lots of coursework having to be handed in I will be returning, the update won't be straight away but it will be soon!

Sorry for the Wait, Allie.

PS- If anyone has any ideas for where this could go I'd love to hear them because you can never have too many ideas!


	19. Strike a Nerve

* * *

Okay I know it's taken forever but I'm trying my best! Tihs is just a little Chappie for y'all to get you teeth stuck into

* * *

Lily lay limp in the operating theatre hands worked nimbly over her peeled chest, and worked deep within the warm red abyss.

She swam around in her mind contemplating whether or not she knew she was dreaming because her body thought it was going to die. She knew for a fact that she most have been pumped with morphine and her mind had just slipped over the pain barrier but she had never imagined it like this.

It was the second shot she'd taken to the heart the first being her mother's death at least this time she'd saved Gibbs.

* * *

McGee sat alone in the hospital waiting area now. Gibbs had said he was going for coffee but that was 3 hours ago, but the probie agent knew better than to pry however he also knew better than to worry or apologise and he was doing both of those things right now. Apologising inside his head for ever upsetting Abby like that – he should have talked it down more. Worrying about Gibbs, and about Lily she'd been in surgery for 4 hours now something must have gone wrong. What if something had gone wrong? What would he tell Abby, or Gibbs?

He heard Gibbs tell him to stop worrying, his automatic response "Sorry boss," he did it without even thinking. He turned around looking for the source of the ever present source of eternal mantras but he didn't see Gibbs. He was gone.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tony place one hand gently on Ziva's shoulder as they waited for Gibbs to arrive and interrogate Abaddon who was sat staring at the ceiling- his head at 90 degrees to his shoulders mumbling to himself.

This time Ziva made no attempt to plaster a fake smile on her lips "Look, I am fine" She twisted her arms around making sure Tony saw all 360 degrees of perfectly unmarked skin

"You know perfectly well that's not what I meant" He leered

Ziva grimaced knowing exactly what her come back would be, knowing exactly how hard it would strike a nerve but she did it anyway so she wasn't the only one hurting "I don't want to talk about, does that sound familiar? I don't want to share my feelings with an emotionally immature man who can't even handle his own judgment and doesn't know what love is."

Tony flinched, his head reared back away from Ziva. A sour note filled his mouth and his heart hardened to solid lead plummeting. It hit far more than one nerve. That was what Ziva thought of him.

* * *

The butterfly-like touches were cold and uncompromising but steady. There was a rhythm to surgery even if Dr Keynes tried to ignore it. Droplets of pure exhaustion dampened his brow but he was not going to give up. This little girl wasn't going to give up so neither would he.

The bullet had swerved on its course through her body hitting a nerve near her spine and nicking her heart. That was what he was most worried about, they were still unsure on how deep that laceration was their first thought had just been to stem the bleeding they hadn't noticed the perfect arc that was etched on her heart which he couldn't help seeing as a the musical; symbol for a pause which he had see so many times on pieces of manuscript. But it was only a pause. A pause held far more hope than the end.

* * *

The door closed with a whoosh and then a click and Gibbs threw all of his might into closing the car door. His walking pace increased tenfold not because he had somewhere to go or someone to save but because he wasn't there to enjoy the journey, that time had passed.

Gibbs didn't even go and see Abby, it was something he used to do, it used to be a ritual but he wasn't that man anymore; he had been that guy the heroic authority admired and expected to save you if things went wrong. Now he was just some guy, he was going to do his job, sleep at night, build a boat and eat take out for breakfast lunch and dinner without having to save anyone.

He stalked into the interrogation room expecting that Tony had everything set up for him.

* * *

As Tony stood alone – well almost alone the recording guy was there too but he didn't count he wasn't a person to Tony right now he was a droid – he saw Gibbs enter the room opposite.

He hadn't come to get Tony's notes or even walked up to the glass and looked him in the eye. He wasn't even Gibbs anymore.

Everyone had left him. Ziva had walked out. Gibbs couldn't be much closer but he still wasn't there. McGee was in a frenzy worrying about everyone and everything with no time to be there. It seemed like he was the only one who'd stay still and this sorry mess had just washed over him.

* * *

Abaddon's head slowly snapped forward cold gaze meeting cold gaze. Gibbs recognized something in those orbs even though he shouldn't have. They held the say resigned capitulation the same failure the same disassociation and lack of presence. They were dead at the heart too.

"Why did you do it?" His voice was steady and calm asking a question he had used a million times but with a completely different cadence.

Abaddon stared forward blankly licking his dry lips deliberately.

Gibbs tilted his head forward n what may have been described as a nod.

Soft air particles were inhaled silently. "I needed the list back"

Gibbs' cranium rocked from side to "No why did you do it?"

The intent was obvious the question specific and the answer: "To make a point. Their soft lips and silky hair and their hearts so malleable, but so un-giving. Never sharing fully that warmth. I needed more, but I never had it so I took them. Showed them how I felt; bound by their fake kind looks. Now we were going to use them, finally they had an honest purpose, to be controlled, they would never be suspected. Women are so feeble minded and never true to anything they couldn't be part of something as potent as war"

* * *

The pieces finally fit together in Tony's brain. An attack. Using the most underrated power source – women. Rose had stalled them taking they key to it all a list... of what? Lily had paid the price... but she was his daughter, how had that happened? What was going to happen now? Would anything ever be the same? Would Lily be alright? Would the attack still go ahead as far as they knew Abaddon was just a puppet who was the master? And wasn't Abaddon a Jew not a Muslim?

Okay so not all of the pieces fit yet, especially the most important question to him, what about Ziva?

* * *

So i know much didn't happen there but we're drawing to a close well like 4/5 chapters off a close but the action is resolving in a conclusion. I'll try and post as soon as I can!

Love ya!

Allie


	20. The Show Must Go On

Sorry it's taken me so long again but I haven't been able to log on for ages!

* * *

Ziva stared on in the booth, she had given herself to him and he would have her blow herself up because she loved him.

* * *

Gibbs stalked his prey watching him unflinching at what he'd just heard. He should have wanted to tear this waste of space limb from limb but he remained calm.

"What was the list for? I thought terrorists didn't make physical carbon copies"

One single nod "You would be correct"

"But you did" Gibbs' tone was quizzical but not interested.

Abaddon's face shut down "I am not a terrorist"

"A terrorist somebody who uses violence, especially bombing, kidnapping, and assassination, to intimidate others, often for political purposes. Is that not you Abaddon? As far as I see it someone may as well have just drawn your picture in the dictionary"

He repeated himself "I am not a terrorist"

"You said that being tautological will get you nowhere"

Again "I am not a terrorist. I am NO terrorist"

Gibbs slammed his fist on the desk, there was only so long the old Gibbs could be contained and he was pretty stubborn. "How are you not a terror Mr Ben-Halim?"

He sat don't quiet as a mouse this was more unsettling than if steam was coming out of his ears

He smirked a sick smirk "I supply goods, what they do with the assets includes no involvement of mine. So you see I am not a terrorist a merchant doing the world a favour really"

"Okay" Gibbs smiled back, but his was empty of humour "Do you use violence and kidnapping, for instance the taking of Lily Stroud"

It was Abaddon's turn to pulled a quizzed phizog "I took no such girl"

Gibbs snorted "How about Lily Lawrenceson, do you know her by that name?"

Abaddon nodded "She is my daughter; I see no kidnapping in taking my own daughter on a trip to my place of business"

"I do, when your daughter has been put under witness protection security to keep her away from you. Moreover, when that same daughter has just had her mother murdered by your henchmen so she is in the building of federal law enforcement whose jurisdiction you fall under as a former member of the US navy using marines to do your dirty work. How did that happen anyway?"

* * *

McGee had been sat in that same chair for so long that he couldn't feel his butt and he couldn't even be bothered to look at his watch. Abby had been phoning him every half hour for an update even though nobody would tell him anything and he'd promised to phone her as soon as something happened. Abby would have to be the first to know, she held the vigil of hope.

Just as he thought of nodding off a man wearing a white coat over bloodied scrubs and cans which had been yellowed by disinfectant walked in. "Are you here for Lily Stroud?"

He looked straight at McGee, McGee wasn't sure of who this doctor thought he was but he wasn't about to tell him he was an NCIS agent just so he'd clam up and say he couldn't say anything unless he was a member of immediate family. Lily was practically family, that had to count for something. So, he just nodded.

"You might want to sit down"

This wasn't good. "I don't think I do I've been sat here for hours I just need to know if she's okay" Alive would have been more apt.

"She's alive if that's what you're asking me" He sat down himself "However she is in no way out of danger"

McGee breathed for the first time in too long. She was alive. She was alive. He had to phone Abby. "Do you mind if I phone someone and leave it on speaker when you explain the rest?"

"That's fine, Lily's going to need a good support network"

McGee hit one and listened to the reassuring tone for no more than half a second

* * *

"McGee what's going on? Why didn't you phone me sooner?" Emotion poured out of the Goth, too much was going on too fast right now.

"She's alive Abby"

That was all she needed to hear, McGee was on the end of the line and everything was going to be okay.

"I'm putting you on speaker with Doctor ....." Abby heard a mumble in the background "Keynes so be nice"

"Hi Mr Doctor Keynes, thanks for saving our friend!" Abby heard footsteps behind her

Ducky was there with his warm toffee like smile "Did I hear right? Did you say saving so Lily's safe?"

"You sure did Ducky!"

"Excuse me if you don't mind, Miss Stroud is far from safe, the bullet has done a lot of damage and she has sustained lots of minor injuries and the fact the her body seems drained won't help her heal any faster. We've had to put her in a coma to try to give her to best chance of healing. Plus, from what I've heard she's been through a lot of trauma recently so there's a question of does she want to get better? If she doesn't want to fight there's only so much we can do"

"What do you mean if she doesn't want to fight?" Abby interrogated the exhausted doctor as if she were Gibbs  
"All I'm saying is she'll need support and encouragement to male progress"  
"So can we visit her?"  
Ducky placed his hands on Abby's quaking shoulders.

"She's just had major surgery Abby perhaps it would be best if we wait until tomorrow to visit her, then you've got time to take her something."  
A 'but' lingered in the air as she lurched her head forward to say something then decided against it.  
"So tomorrow then Abs" McGee's voice on the end of the line soothed her panic he was always so collected that was one of the things she loved about him. Did she just think love? McGee? Hold the phone did she love McGee in a non-platonic way or was she still thinking brother and sister in the Gibbs family?

* * *

The good doctor agreed "Visiting hours start at 9"  
A smile twitched at the corner of McGee's mouth at the meet thought of seeing Abby "9 it is then"

* * *

Tony had more answers for his questions but it was taking so long; this definitely had to have been one of the longest interrogations he'd had to observe and it wasn't even over yet.

* * *

Gibbs had finally found the underlying cause of the whole list thing. They were instructions for what the buyer wanted and where Abaddon had to drop the goods off, but they still didn't have that list. So they were no closer to finding out who these terrorists were or where the attack was going to take place if it could still go on without Ben-Halim.

They were eye to eye; piercing gaze to piercing gaze. "Will that attack still go ahead without your stock?" Gibbs hated to use the word stock

"What do you mean without, these are very serious businessmen. If I do not deliver, they will collect. Of course it will go on the show must always go on."

* * *

So I'm going to try and move things along and spice them up a but as well!

Thankyou all for adding this story to your favourites or commenting this may sound cheesy but it really does inspire me to want to write and make this FF better.


	21. A Miracle Of Sorts

You don't know how sorry I am! Coursework and exams are crazy I hate this modular system there are no breaks! Gahhhhhhhh! Anyways hope this makes up for it and I'm working on the next chappie as well plus NCIS comes back on FX next friday at 9! Whoooo.

* * *

Lily lay unconscious that McGee thought was too big for her frail body which seemed to quake under the breath of the ventilator. It was precisely 9:01 but Abby had been waiting to go in since 8 that morning she thought he didn't know but he'd been there too waiting not wanting to be late.

"When do you think she'll be awake McGee?" Abby's head snapped round he eyes focusing away from her friend's body to well her... McGee's.

He hated it when she looked at him like that because he felt that she could see exactly what he was thinking, and that may not have been so good at that moment as he was thinking about how damn good she looked today and how worried he was about those dark bags under her eyes now she was only wearing a smudge of makeup. "I don't know Abs the Doc said it could be in a week, a month or a year it's up to her I s'pose"

"I hate this McGee, and have you seen Gibbs? He's all robotic and he's not bringing me Caf Pows or giving Tony his love taps or the death glare or... or... what's wrong with him McGee?"

McGee just answered by wrapping his arms around Abby's heaving shoulders as her head felt o his chest with sobs.

* * *

Tony shared a glance with Ziva which said 'I'm here' "Gibbs, we've been over everything"

"Then go over it again they must have slipped up somewhere, what about the list that Jane Stroud was supposed to have taken?"

Ziva noticed Gibbs didn't even look up when he spoke and the way the Tony fell as the older gentleman did. Whatever happened to her she had to be strong "We've been back to the house there's nothing there Gibbs"

Tony shot her a thank you smile.

Gibbs furrowed his brow "Where's McGee? Was there anything on the computer?" He shot half a glance to his left

"There wasn't anything on it he came in last night to double check he's at the hospital now with Abby. Apparently Lily's going to be alright. The bullet punctured her left lung but it only grazed her spine and heart the bullet twisted because he suped up the gun but that was also what saved her I think they said something about the speed of the bullet..."

Tony didn't need to go into that much detail because the spark flickered in Gibbs' eye as soon as he said she was alright.

Gibbs decided to stay on his track though, stay back and you can't disappoint them, "We need to find something there's going to be a major attack there has to be something"

Tony rubbed the patch of skin between his eyebrows hard enough that it nearly left a mark "Our only lead is Lily and she's unconscious and even if she wakes up we don't know if she knows or remembers anything"

* * *

There was not celestial being or her mother standing in a flowing white gown just a blue light that buzzed behind her eyes then flashed as she realised she had to wake up she had to tell them. Outside of the box, that's where it was the answer she needed they needed. The answer which had been sitting in front of her all this time. She tried to sit up but it was like there was a dead weight on her chest.

* * *

"Abby!" McGee blinked hard this couldn't be right

"Yeah," She gulped as she turned to look up a McGee with big water filled eyes

Now was not the time to get distracted McGee. "I think Lily just moved, I'm going to get a nurse"

"Are you sure? You're the one who said not to hold my breath she's just been in major surgery and it'll take her a while to recover"

"I know what I say Abs," His smile was now infectious, possibly not the word that should be used in a hospital "You stay here in case she wakes up she'll want a friendly face" In his euphoria caught up in the hug he was now giving the woman of pretty much every one of his dreams he kissed her. It may of only been her cheek but it was a kiss all the same. A kiss filled with passion. A kiss of happiness and love.

He was running out of the room, well as close to running as he could get without stumbling or causing alarm by looking like he was walking when he bumped into Dr Keynes.

The doctor took a step back holding out his arms as if they were saying wo there" Are you alright Agent McGee?"

What had he been thinking? Kissing Abby? Hold on he only kissed her cheek Gibbs did that all of the time didn't he? Hey wait a minute someone was talking to him "Oh um yeah right" Lily! "Lily just moved I think she's waking up"

"Are you sure?"

McGee just quick walked back into a room where a shocked Abby held the hand of a girl whose eyes were fluttering open.

* * *

Gibbs looked straight at Tony "Call him"

Tony's hand shot out like a frogs tongue darting for the phone punching in the speed dial number.

* * *

Lily coughed, spluttered and scratched at the tube coming out of her throat. What was it rationally she knew she was fine but panic was controlling her now.

Those cool butterfly like hands worked quickly on her throat so she could breathe on her own all the while chanting the mantra of "S'alright"

Her voice rasped as she tried to get the words out.

Dr Keynes placed his hand on her shoulder "This is a miracle but you really shouldn't try to speak you're really not so well Lily" He turned to the Agent who'd brought pretty much the most astonishing news of his career "Are you guys positive there's no one we can call for her"

Behind his back between raspy gasped breaths Lily waved her arms palms open saying I'm here I can speak for myself even if I don't have a voice.

Abby spat out a chuckle. It felt damn good to laugh as she saw Lily in the face of major surgery still being the same kooky girl she was before.

* * *

He answered on the third ring "McGee, vocalize whatever it is that's going on in your head and please tell me you've got something good because the Boss man..."

Interrupted by McGee since when did this happen? "Lily's awake"

"What?!"

"She's awake and now she's signing furiously at Abby, I'm not sure she realises that she's just been shot but you might want to come down to the hospital right about now"

Tony started to grab his bag meaning that Ziva copied Gibbs still didn't look up "We're there" with that he hung up. "Lily's awake and she's got something to say" Gibbs still didn't move "Gibbs?"

"Go already and tell me whatever it is she's got"

Tony shook his head as he walked behind Ziva to the elevator

Ziva furrowed her forehead slightly in a confused not angry manor "I thought they said she wouldn't wake up for a week at best"

He pressed the down button "I dunno crazy things have happened, let's hope she knows something because then this'll really be a miracle."

* * *

Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon I'll be writing as soon an Jason Mraz starts playing again and I fininsh typing this!

By the way thank you for every single time someone has commented, added this Fic to their favourites or alerts because you give me faith that maybe somethime my English teacher's wrong giving me a 50 when I clearly should have got 52 for my 13 page essay which was very philosophiocal on Lord of the Flies! Sorry personal issues!


	22. Hello? I'm Here

K so this is a bit of a filler chapter but there's some more drama comin'

* * *

The duo of Tony and Ziva arrived in what could be described as record time had Gibbs not had to make that same drive before.

"What's she said Abs?" Tony completely ignored Lily's presence not out of a lack of manners but he still hadn't got his mind around the fact she wasn't in a vegetative state.

Abby shot a glance at Lily who was shaking her head and smiling as she showed Abby what it was she wanted to be heard "Lily would like it to be know that she is in the room " Lily waved "And so would like to say hello to you too Tony and by the way she'd like to say she's fine just recovering from major surgery and you know being shot"

Ziva had already sat down next to her when Tony turned slightly "Hi, sorry. You know the whole you getting shot thing was the reason I didn't say hello you know most people don't wake up the next day they kinda like to take some time off you know catch some Zs"

Lily smiled and turned back to Abby after her eyes had scanned the room

Abby did the classic I don't know arm gesture "Lily, we'll we'd both like to know where's Gibbs?"

Tony pressed down as he rubbed his eyes then let his hands slide down his face "In the bullpen" He'd been dreading that question and knew his answer wouldn't be enough.

"I kind of guessed that Tony but why's he still in the bullpen? I mean Lily's awake surely that deserves a visit"

They collectively turned to Lily as her eyes saddened she just mouthed 'It's alright'

"No it's not. He should be here. I don't care what's got his pants in a twist but it's just not acceptable for him to not be here because he's playing Mr Grumpy. "

Lily just smiled that sad smile again and told Abby she really was alright with it Gibbs had no obligation she was just another victim who needed to be questioned to find the bad guys.

Ziva interjected before they all got hung up on Gibbs mood, because she wanted Abaddon to be stopped just as much as Lily did. "Do you know anything that might help us? And help you, and everyone?"

Lily nodded then signed for Abby.

"Okay she's saying that there was a woman and a child did we get them? So did we?" Abby turned after relaying the information to Ziva.

McGee nodded "They're in a safe house and then going to be helped by getting a new life in WitSec with support from any social agency they need"

Before he'd finished Abby was interpreting for Lily again

"Lily would also like to know who the really tall scary guys were that you went in with because they were kinda creep was that? And they both needed a good hair cut"

Ziva smiled this time "My father sent them as extra muscle" Lily frowned not quite understanding "My father is the director of Mossad and I'd encountered Abaddon before"

Lily's eyebrows went up in an ahhhh then down as she squeezed the hand Ziva had left on the side of her bed.

Tony wished he was the one offering some comfort but he knew that Ziva helping Lily was helping. herself too.

Once more Abby turned to Lily "Okay so her Mom burnt the list is a mini bonfire thing"

Tony threw a his arms into the dry well conditioned air "Damn! That was our only..."

"However she thinks she made a copy and she can find it but she needs to be there to find it"

"You waking up may have been a miracle but the doctors aren't going to let you out anytime soon, they'll probably have to run extra checks to make sure you're not a mutant or something"

Abby smiled "Lily's fine with being a mutant she enjoyed the last X-men however she thinks the origins idea is stupid and trying to scoop dollars from the bottom of an empty well. On the plus side she has an idea if McGee can set up an eat. Gah I'm sounding like Ziva aren't I? I think she means a feed, we can go in and she'll see and lead us to it."

Tony was now a little impatient they had it then they didn't they did but not really. "Can you not just tell us where it is?"

Abby shrugged "Think Men in Black, the second one but we're not looking for something solid that looks like a list it'll be ... out of the box. Whatever that is I'm sorry even I don't quite get it Lily"

"I do" Tony chirped up he knew exactly what it was, who said movie references weren't useful? "I'll call Gibbs"

McGee sighed, he still hadn't looked at Abby yet "I guess I'll set up that live feed"

Ziva stood up as McGee started to leave "If you're going back to base can you fall me off? I think my guard can leave now. Don't worry I'm not afraid to tell two heavily armed trained killers they need haircuts either" The second phrase directly aimed at Lily with a smile.

* * *

"So what happened?" Ziva questioned McGee as they got into the truck

He just brushed it off with a spontaneous case of amnesia "What?"

Ziva grabbed the keys and ran around to the other side jumping in and starting the vehicle just as McGee sat down "I think the phrase is don't play dumb with me. What happened between you and Abby?"

Dan the one time she got an idiodim right so he couldn't get the upper hand with words "Nothing" That's it McGee be cool she can't hurt you, well she can, but she wouldn't, would she? Not for this. Panic got the better of him this meant a little too much "Why did she say something to you because I didn't mean to do it not that i want to take it back or anything..." He stopped when he heard Ziva chuckling as she turned a hard right "She didn't say anything did she?"

Ziva shook her head with her eyes partially closed as she desperately tried not to find this funny "No" she sighed "what did you do? You kissed her correct? Just talk to her McGee she needs to know how you feel even Tony knows you love her but that does not mean she does. I would love to have someone care for me how you care for her so it will fine as you say do not panic" She said the last part with a little taste of bitter remorse.

"Thanks, but you know T... you know what it does matter but it's not my place to say"

* * *

I'll post more as soon as I can, thanks for the support (whether it be fic based or not as I've just broken down over my art final piece being ruined so I have to start again and I'm at least 3 days behind schedule already!)


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